JAMMU: Several Congress workers and members of the Gorkha community joined the BJP at a function in Jammu city on Monday, saying they were driven by the decision of the Modi government to revoke the special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
A large number of prominent persons from the Gorkha community and the Congress Sewa Dal, joined the BJP in the presence of its state general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul, former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta, at a programme organized by the BJP unit of the Jammu district at the party headquarter in Trikuta Nagar here, according to the saffron party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said over 50 people, including 17 prominent persons, joined the party on Monday.
Kaul welcomed the prominent persons for their decision to join the party, saying "the BJP has always acted as a family that respects everybody and cares for everyone".
He said the party has always opened up arms for those who want to serve the nation and the society.
Gupta, while welcoming the new entrants, claimed that the people are coming forward in increasing numbers to join the BJP and strengthen hands of Narendra Modi due to the public-friendly decisions taken by the prime minister.
He said all communities including the Gorkha are benefitted by the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370.
Our state has "suffered since long" due to the Article, but now the Modi government has given rights to everybody by eroding out the Article, he said.
Karuna Shetri (President J&K Gorkha Samaaj along with his team), Shailender Jamwal (Congress Sewa Dal along with his team) was amongst other prominent persons who joined the BJP on the occasion.
The new entrants said they "were driven by the great decision" by the Modi government to revoke the special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 which forced them to join the "nationalist party".
Gorkhas said they have got a big relief in the form of the decision which will promise their wards a better future.